Esmeralda Takes The Fall
by Hallow Sisters On My Mind
Summary: Esmeralda accidentally drinks an potion meant for someone else and the normally kind girl turns cold and mean. This simple potion causes an life changing accident, so who will get hurt? And who gave her the potion and why? Rated T for content


A/N: I got this idea from a New Worst Witch episode where Hettie takes Opposite Potion. I do not own the Worst Witch characters or the Worst Witch.

* * *

 **Esmeralda Takes The Fall**

* * *

Esmeralda and Ethel Hallow were getting on a lot better after the whole incident with Agatha the year before, their youngest sister Sybil had now joined the school and the three sisters were seen together a lot of the time.

Ethel was in the hall and stood up to go and get a drink. She walked to the drink table and poured one and was just about to pick it up when there was a loud crash across the hall. Ethel turned around to look at the source of the noise and rolled her eyes as she saw Mildred had broken a plate and then she turned back and finally picked up her drink.

Turning around she nearly walked into her older sister.

"Sorry" Ethel said apologetically.

"That's alright, seems we both had the same idea I was going to get a drink too." Esmie told her little sister.

"Oh well you have this one I will get another." Ethel said kindly as she gave her drink to her sister.

"Are you sure?" Esmeralda asked wanting to make sure Ethel was certain.

"Of course" Ethel said with an smile, happy to let her have that one.

"Alright thanks Ethie." Esmeralda said as she took the drink and then walked to the table she was sitting at with some friends from her year before finally drinking the drink.

The girls eyes glowed red as that drink had unbeknown to either Hallow been spiked. No-one seemed to notice the change as they were talking quietly.

"What do you think Esmie? Do you think the rumour about Cackle and HB is true?" one of her friends asked. A rumour had been going around that the two woman were somehow related.

"Well look what I was given for sisters, a crybaby and a loser, it is definitely possible they are related too." Esmeralda said with a smirk across her face.

The three other girls at the table stared at her opened mouth. Esmeralda was the kindest person they knew, her sisters were everything to her they had never heard her talk that way about them before.

"Are you feeling alright Esmie?" one of the girls asked concerned about her sudden change.

"Why wouldn't I be alright? I feel great." Esmie said feeling perfectly fine.

"Oh good..." one of the girls replied really confused though.

"Well bye losers I need to go prank Hardbroom." Esmie said standing up from her bench.

"You? Prank?" a ginger haired girl asked shocked at what she'd just said.

"Duh, poor pathetic woman deserves it for giving me an 98 on that test, bye then." Esmeralda said happily as she stood up and left the hall leaving the girls confused.

* * *

Esmeralda walked down the hall wearing a smirk and saw her youngest sister coming towards her from the opposite direction.

"Hey Esmie, can you help me with my homework I am confused?" Sybil asked knowing her oldest sister would always help her.

"What you calling me that for? I hate that name, my name is Esmeralda." the girl complained not even bothering to answer her sisters question.

"But I always call you that." Sybil replied not understanding..."So will you help me?" she asked again really wanting the help.

"Why would I help you, you little squirt?" Esmie asked with a smirk and then laughed "I have better things to do than help a loser like you" Esmie replied harshly.

"Why are you being mean to me?" Sybil asked as her eyes filled with tears.

"I am just being truthful, truth hurts kid deal with it." Esmie said so simply to her not caring she was being mean.

"But Esmie..." Sybil said with eyes full of tears as she walked closer to her sister.

"Eww don't touch me" Esmie replied and then pushed her away from her as if she was a germ.

Sybil started to cry at the fact that her sister was being so mean to her.

"Oh boo hoo go cry to mummy you baby." Esmie said as the girl ran of crying and the older girl smiled and laughed before she walked to her bedroom.

The girl threw open her bedroom door and walked to her bed.

"Move Jasper" she shouted to her cat. The cat hissed and jumped off the bed.

"What was I thinking when I decorated this room?" Esmie asked herself looking around with disgust.

She flicked her fingers making the furniture change a lot, redecorating the whole thing.

"And this, I must have been crazy" Esmeralda said as she picked up the framed photo of her and her sisters on her bedside table. She threw the photo in the bin and then sat back down and opened her bedside table drawer pulling out an album with a bunch of pictures in it.

"Ahh Ethel...this is going to be really fun." Esmie said as she looked at a picture of the young blonde and laughed as she formed her plan in her head.

* * *

"Well the potion failed." Enid complained as her Mildred and Maud walked down the corridor together.

"Ethel is still mean and a bully." Maud replied sadly wishing that the potion they made would have worked.

Just then Esmeralda walked down the corridor.

"Oh Esmeralda, Cackle said that there is a meeting for the head of years tomorrow." Maud said quickly only now remembering she had to pass the message on to the other head of years.

"Why are you talking to me?" Esmie asked looking her up and down with disgust.

"Erm...what?" Mildred asked really confused what she was being mean to them for.

"You lot are more pathetic than my sisters, I mean we have a non-witch, a geek and a prankster whose pranks suck." Esmeralda said meanly to the girls before her.

"HEY!" Enid replied not liking being insulted by her.

"That is not very nice, what has got into you?" Maud asked insulted.

"Nothing, see you later losers I have some bonding with my sister to do." Esmeralda said with a laugh.

"Okay that was so weird what is with her?" Mildred asked confused and annoyed.

"Maud...you did see Ethel drink that drink right?" Enid asked checking who saw her drink it.

"Well not exactly but how exactly would Esmeralda get the potion? I am sure she is just having a bad day." Maud replied though she had a really bad feeling.

* * *

Esmeralda walked up to her younger sister who was in the potion lab making a potion.

"Hey sis." Esmie said as she got closer to her sister.

"Oh hey" Ethel said as she looked back at her book.

"I am bored, do you want to go flying, you can ride my broomstick?" Esmie suggested wanting to do something fun.

"The family one?" Ethel asked. She was not sure if she meant her regular broomstick or the family heirloom that had been passed down to her for being the eldest.

"Of course my special one" Esmie replied.

"Really? You don't mind?" Ethel asked shocked her sister was offering that to her.

"Anything for my little sister." Esmie said hiding a smirk.

"Okay great will meet you outside in twenty minutes." Ethel replied beaming with excitement.

"Brilliant" Esme replied and then turned away "Enough time to put the plan in action." she whispered to herself.

* * *

"I polished it for you." Esmie said handing her prized broomstick to her little sister.

"Oh thanks Esmie." Ethel replied so happy her sister was doing this with her.

"Come on then." Esmie said taking off as Ethel followed behind.

"The turning is always so sharp." Ethel commented as her sister flew next to her.

"Of course it is." Esmie commented and waited in anticipation

The sisters flew side by side when suddenly the broomstick Ethel was riding on jerked and lowered a little.

"Ahh" she said screaming slightly as it kept jerking on her.

"Are you alright?" Esmie asked acting concerned.

"Yes...just lost my balance for a second." Ethel lied not wanting to make a big deal out of what happened.

Suddenly the broomstick jerked again harder this time and before Ethel could react it was jerking all over the place.

"AHH" Ethel screamed struggling to hold on as the broomstick jerked more.

"Oh look it seems you have gotten into a bit of bother." Esmie said with a laugh.

"HELP ME!" Ethel screamed as the broomstick jerked very hard and she was thrown off only just managing to grab a hold of the stick with both hands.

* * *

"Tabby are you out here?" Mildred said as her and her friends walked outside the castle looking for Mildred's cat who had run off again.

"Did you hear that?" Maud asked as she could have sworn she heard someone saying help.

"I did not hear anything." Enid commented having heard nothing.

"Wait I hear it too" Mildred said as there was another scream and she could hear what Maud heard.

"Hello? Where are you?" Enid asked looking around to find who was screaming.

There was a louder scream and Mildred looked up in the direction of the noise and gasped.

"Ethel!?" Mildred said seeing the girl holding on for dear life.

Her friends looked up as well and gasped at seeing her there hanging on by very little.

"We have to do something she will fall!" Maud commented needing a plan to help her. They did not like the girl but none of them wanted her to fall to her death either.

"Oh it's alright Esmeralda is already up there." Enid commented seeing the older girl flying.

"Wait...Esmeralda is flying away from her." Mildred commented confused where she was going.

"Why would she do that?" Maud asked confused why she was leaving her sister like that. That is when it all clicked with Enid.

"Maud...remember before when I asked if you were sure Ethel took the potion and you said no and then you said there is no way Esmeralda drank it? Don't you think it's a bit odd she was acting horrible to us and then she flies away from Ethel in danger?" Enid asked seeing if her friends agreed with her thought.

"Of course! Mildred said agreeing with her. "Esmeralda took that potion that is why she is acting weird." Mildred commented on why she seemed so different.

"But wait, why does that change Ethel?" Enid asked confused how Ethel would change from that.

"Opposite potion, it makes everything about a person different. Good become bad, weak become strong, and their likes become their hates" Maud replied answering that question so her friends would understand.

"So?" Enid asked not understanding where she was going.

"So" Mildred cut in understanding what she had said. "Enid what is the most important thing in the world to Esmeralda Hallow?" Mildred asked helping Enid to understand it.

"I don't know...getting 100% on a test?" Enid suggested clueless.

"No you nincompoop her sisters, they are her whole world." Maud replied filling in for her clueless friend.

"So Esmeralda loves them more than anything but under the potion she..." Enid says her thoughts out loud trying to understand what has happened.

"Hates them more than anything in the world." Enid said finally getting it all.

"Exactly, she did this on purpose to hurt Ethel." Maud said clarifying why she left Ethel just hanging there.

"Right Maud go find Cackle and HB quickly." Mildred said as the girl nodded and ran off.

"I have to help her!" Mildred said knowing she couldn't leave Ethel there.

"No, you don't need to you'd be stuck too. I will do it." Enid said running towards the broomshed.

Just after she ran off the broomstick jerked again and Ethel lost her grip with one of her hands and was holding on with just one. Enid moaned angrily as she realised the broomshed was locked and pulled on the handle hard as she heard a scream and looked up.

"Ooo I can't look." Enid said knowing the blonde was about to fall now that she was holding on with one hand.

"Hurry up Maud." Mildred said worried they wouldn't get there in time.

* * *

Esmeralda was close to the ground flying flawless when her eyes flashed white for a split second. The potion had worn off and she was back to normal.

"What was I doing?" Esmie said to herself confused as to why she was flying. Suddenly she heard a scream from above her and looked up and saw her little sister hanging onto the broomstick by one hand. She gasped and turned back around.

"Faster broom." she shouted not bothering to try to remember why Ethel was in danger. She flew faster and faster through the sky gaining height and getting closer to her sister.

Ethel was losing grip. Her hand was slowly slipping off the broomstick. With one final jerk she lost her grip and the broomstick fell down to the ground and Ethel started to fall screaming when she felt someone grab her wrist.

Looking up Ethel was surprised to see her older sister holding on to her. After all she was the one who had left her up there.

"Ethel, grab my arm." Esmie said leaning over her own broom and holding on with one hand.

Ethel shook her free arm back and forth before she grabbed onto her sisters arm for support.

"Pull yourself up." Esmie suggested trying to help her sister.

"I can't." Ethel said not able to swing herself high enough to reach the broomstick.

"Hold on." Esmie said not wanting her sister to slip.

Esmeralda slowly removed her hand that was holding the broomstick and then bent down more wrapping her arm around Ethel's waist and with some effort pulling her up.

The effort to pull her sister up caused the broomstick to shake and Esmie had no time to grip onto the broomstick because instead she fell off the side towards the ground and the older girl screamed.

"ESMIE!" Ethel shouted starting to fly the broomstick but she knew it was hopeless she was too far below her.

Before anyone could so much as move the teenager hit the floor with a sickening thud. In that moment it was like the world paused. The three teenagers outside just stared at the ground in shock. Mildred came to her senses first and ran forwards to help the student.

* * *

"NO DON'T TOUCH HER!" Miss Hardbroom shouted as she emerged through the door with Miss Cackle, Miss Drill and Maud and an whole bunch of students.

"An ambulance Miss Drill." Ada said panic in her voice needing the assistance right away.

"Girls, no-one touch her, any injuries she has could be made worse." Miss Hardbroom said wanting the girls to step away.

Ethel landed a few feet from the ground and ran towards her sister totally ignoring HB's words.

"ESMERLDA!" she shouted running towards her. She bent down about to turn her over when she was grabbed from behind.

"No Ethel wait until the paramedics get here." Ada Cackle said struggling to keep a grip on the girl as she was flailing around.

"GET OFF ME!" Ethel shouted trying to break free from her grip "MY SISTER NEEDS ME!" she yelled louder not wanting to stay away from Esme.

"You can't do anything for her Ethel." Ada replied truthfully she knew Ethel moving her sister around would make things worse if she had neck or spine injuries.

"NO NO, GET OFF ME, GET OFF!" the girl shouted as she fought against the grip, fighting to break free.

"Miss Hardbroom take her inside and Sybil too, them being here will not help matters." she said as she handed the girl to Miss Hardbroom. Miss Hardbroom moved her to Sybil who was at the back and luckily had no idea what had happened. Hecate transferred them away quickly.

* * *

The paramedics arrived quickly and were led to the teenager.

"What is her name?" one of the men asked.

"Esmeralda." Ada replied helpfully.

"Esmeralda can you hear me?" another man asked as he flashed a torch into her eyes.

"Heartbeat is low and excessive bruising around the neck area." another man said as he looked her over.

"Right we best take her in." the men said as she was taken into the ambulance and Ada stepped in.

* * *

Half an hour later Ada was back and it was time to get to the bottom of what happened. She sighed as Hecate stepped out her office.

"How is she?" Hecate asked worried about her student.

"They can't tell us much yet, they have taken her in for surgery." Ada said sharing a small piece of information to her friend.

"Surgery?" she asked shocked at hearing that.

"Sadly yes, how are the other two?" Ada asked concerned for Esmeralda's younger sisters.

"Not very good which is to be expected, they are both really upset." Hecate replied sharing with Ada how the girls had been.

"Did Ethel say anything about what happened?" Ada asked wanting to be informed if there was anything said.

"She said Esmeralda was acting odd and they went flying but it seemed Esmeralda cursed the broomstick so I did some investigating and Esmeralda's friends said she started acting odd after she went to get a drank at breakfast. I looked at the glasses from breakfast and one has a residue of opposite potion." Hecate said sharing everything she had done so far to research what had happened.

"Opposite potion? Who on earth would use that on Esmeralda it is not like she has any enemies is it?" Ada replied concerned, confused and shocked that anyone would do that to her.

"That is what I want to know." Hecate replied feeling the exact same as Ada.

* * *

Ada called an assembly half an hour later knowing she had to get to the bottom of what happened and fast.

"Good afternoon girls." Ada said wearing a solemn expression.

"Good afternoon Miss Cackle." the girls all chanted back.

"I am sure you are all aware by now about what happened this afternoon, but I want all of you girls to know the truth, this was not any normal accident." Ada said to each of her students.

At this statement the girls started to mutter amongst themselves in shock at what they had just been told.

"Quiet girls." She said causing the students to fall silent.

"Esmeralda Hallow was under the influence of opposite potion, for those of you who are unaware opposite potion makes the drinker completely change the way they behave. Every thought, feeling and piece that makes up them is opposite, traces of this potion were found in a glass from breakfast meaning someone here spiked the drink." Ada said her tone very concerned about this incident.

"But who would do that?" Felicity Foxglove asked out loud shocked herself that anyone would do that.

"That Felicity is what we want to know, someone or a few people know more than they are saying. We are giving whoever is responsible twenty four hours to own up, if no one owns up then the school will go into lock down." Ada said getting very serious over this matter, wanting the girls to know how serious this situation really is.

"Lock down?" a third year asked out loud.

"No one will be able to leave the school, all mirror communications will be fortified, all extra curricular activities banned, if no one owns up you will all suffer." Ada said hoping this threat would course the responsible party to admit their mistake.

"But I didn't do anything." many pupils complained out loud hating that they are being punished for something they didn't do.

"You best hope that whoever is responsible admits it then." Hecate cut in interrupting their complaints.

* * *

Mildred and her friends were currently sat on her bed all nervous and fidgety.

"We have to tell the truth." Maud said knowing they needed to confess.

"We can't, they will kill us." Enid replied knowing the consequences for this would be severe.

"I am more worried about Esmeralda, what if she dies, we will get done for murder." Mildred said panicking of the higher consequences than a school punishment.

"I knew it was a bad idea to make that stupid potion." Maud replied regretting that they even did that potion now.

"Maud is right it is time to tell the truth." Mildred said agreeing with coming clean.

"But they will expel us!" Enid complained not wanting to be expelled from another school.

"So be it...we deserve it." Mildred replied sadly.

* * *

The two youngest Hallow sisters were sat in Ada's office with Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom both shaken and very upset.

"This still makes no sense, who would spike Esmeralda's drink?" HB asked still not understanding why anyone would do that to her.

"It was us." the three friends said as they entered the room, confessing that they had done it.

"Mildred Hubble, Maud Spellbody, Enid Nightshade." HB said in her most deadly voice.

"Girls, I did not know either of you had a personal grudge against Esmeralda Hallow." Ada replied shocked that these girls would do something so cruel to Esmeralda.

"We don't, it was meant for Ethel." Enid replied sadly confessing who the intended target was.

"Explain yourselves now." Hecate said in her most deadly voice.

"Well we were fed up of Ethel picking on Mildred all the time and I found this book in the library when I was studying about opposite potion." Maud replied starting to share the story of how it all began.

"So we decided to give her some, we just wanted her to be nice." Mildred sighed.

"Girls do you have any idea what you have done? Not only did you ruin a ancient family heirloom but a girl nearly died, and still could die." Ada said wanting to ensure these girls understood how severe this was.

"I know so if you want us to expel us that is fair." Maud sighed accepting the highest punishment.

Hecate opened her mouth to reply when a buzzing noise sounded meaning someone was mirroring Ada. Ada answered the call and whispered quickly before coming back.

"Esmeralda is out of surgery." Ada said relived her student had finished from surgery.

"Can we go see her please?" Ethel asked desperate to see her sister.

"Of course, I will take you both. I will deal with you three later." Ada said as she led the two blonde girls out the room.

* * *

Ethel and Sybil arrived at the hospital with Ada where they found their parents crying over their oldest girls bedside. There were a lot of machines and tubes which scared Sybil who started to cry as soon as she saw her oldest sister.

"I know sweetheart." their mum said hugging her youngest child who leaned into her crying. Their parents fussed over her comforting her. Ethel cried silently to herself as she looked at her sister covered in tubes.

"Come here." she heard someone say beside her. She looked and saw her mother had her arms opened offering to hug her. Ethel stood there confused her parents never showed her any affection she did not want to get hurt if it was a trick.

"Come on Ethel." her mother said again.

Ethel walked slowly to her mother waiting for her world to crumble when she rejected her but she didn't, she wrapped her in her free arm hugging her. Ethel having something she had always wanted caused her to sob even more and she leaned into her mother crying.

* * *

Days later the family were still waiting at Esmeralda's bedside when she suddenly started to stir.

"Esmie?" her father said as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Where am I?" Esmie asked as she squinted a little from the bright hospital lights.

"You are in hospital darling, you fell off your broomstick." her mother said stroking her forehead.

"My chest hurts." Esmie complained as she realised her body was really aching.

"It will do, you broke your ribs. Ethel, Sybil stay here a second we are going to go find a nurse." their father said as he and his wife left.

"What are the extend of my injuries?" Esmie asked whining as she felt more pain.

"Three broken ribs, a broken collarbone, a fractured wrist, a broken knee and an punched lung." Sybil replied having memorised it all.

"Well that will explain why moving is hurting so much." Esmie said as she moved to sit up.

"I am sorry Esmie this is all my fault." Ethel said still upset.

"How Ethie?" Esmie asked confused why it was Ethel's fault.

"You fell trying to save me, you wouldn't have fallen if it wasn't for that stupid potion and Mildred, Enid and Maud only tried to give it to me for being a bad person." Ethel replied looking at the ground.

"You are not a bad person" Esmie replied hurt that Ethel felt like that about herself.

"I am, oh you should have let me fall instead." Ethel said really upset and guilty over the whole thing.

"Don't be silly I had to save my little sister, I am sorry too I was acting crazy." Esmeralda said as it all came back to her what had happened.

"It isn't your fault, you will be okay won't you?" Sybil asked making sure she would be okay.

"Of course, you think that will make me lose no way." Esme said knowing something like this wouldn't be the end to her, she was stronger than that.

* * *

Esmeralda got stronger everyday. Her injuries healed and she baffled doctors by surviving a fall like that. She came out of hospital a few months later and returned to school not seeming too fazed by her accident.

Ethel was finally happier, her parents had been a lot nicer since the accident as if they realised all their children were precious.

Mildred, Enid and Maud were not expelled. All three received months and months worth of detentions and cleaning duty for the next year but Esmeralda had demanded the girls not be expelled. She knew it was foolish what they did but they never meant to cause what happened and there is no point ruining three more lives for a silly mistake.

* * *

"You two." Esmie said as she walked down the corridor "Did I just see you fighting?" Esmeralda asked her sisters as they had indeed being scrapping.

"Us? You really think we would do that?" Sybil asked looking up at her sister with innocent eyes.

Esmie touched Sybil's shoulder with one hand and Ethel's with the other.

"Sorry but my fall did not cause blindness my vision is fine and you two were fighting again." Esme said fed up of seeing the two younger girls fighting.

"We were fighting over you." Ethel admitted the reason they were fighting.

"Me?" Why?" Esmie asked confused what she meant by that.

"Well...it's a surprise" Sybil said confessing to her.

"Come on tell me." Esme said not liking her sisters fighting over her.

"Well we were going to put our money together to buy you a new broomstick as the old one got destroyed." Sybil started to share but Ethel cut in.

"But we can't decide which model to go for. Birchwood 2000 or Adlewood 2000?" Ethel replied sharing the two they were thinking about.

"Adelwood has the best speed in the world so far." Sybil commented on why she wanted to buy that one.

"Yes but Birchwood has the best turning." Ethel replied sharing why hers was the better choice.

Esmeralda felt touched her two little sisters were willing to buy her a new broomstick and smiled bigger.

"It's okay, save your money I don't need a new broomstick." Esmie replied loving that they were offering though.

"But your old one got destroyed." Sybil commented on why they were going to do it.

"True, but I never rode it anyway as it was an heirloom." Esmie replied simply as to why it didn't need replacing.

"But don't you want to pass it down?" Ethel asked knowing the tradition of giving the oldest daughter a broomstick.

"Traditions can change Ethie, future children will have plenty." Esmie replied knowing there were always new traditions.

"Are you sure?" Sybil asked concerned.

"Yes, thank you for the thought but don't waste your money on that. I have a better thing to waste it on." Esme commented having something else in mind.

"What is that?" Ethel asked wanting to know what she wanted the money spent on.

"Ice cream." Esmeralda said hugging her sisters tightly.

"Alright, I want extra sauce." Sybil said pitching her order in already.

"I want a flake." Ethel commented on what she wanted in hers.

"Both of you can have whatever you want." Esmie said kissing each girl on the forehead.

"Come on let's go before we are missed." Esmie said happy to get going for their ice cream.

"Race you." Sybil said to Ethel as they both ran down the corridor. Esmeralda looked out the window and smiled at the sun shining.

"ESMIAE!" Ethie complained seeing her sister wasn't with them.

"I am coming, keep your cloaks on." the girl said following her sisters.

"Let's get the bus, I think we should skip flying for a while." Ethie said knowing flying shouldn't be an option right now.

"Good idea." EsmIe replied agreeing with Ethie.

The three sisters walked out the school on the sunny day prepared to spend the day laughing and eating ice cream. Making a good sisterly memory together.


End file.
